Color discrimination apparatus for color ink ribbon

Abstract

In the present invention, a long and narrow color ink ribbon in which ink supply portions are repeatedly formed with the same arrangement is formed, a ribbon carrying means which moves the color ink ribbon in its lengthwise direction is provided, positions discriminating marks which are parallel to the lengthwise direction of the color ink ribbon and of which lengths are set correspondingly to the respective ink supply portions are positioned on the same straight line and formed at one edge of the color ink ribbon, and a discrimination mark read-out means implemented by arranging two optical sensors on a straight line in the direction along which the color ink ribbon moves is provided at the position opposite the discrimination marks.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A color discrimination apparatus for a color ink ribbon which comprising: a long and narrow color ink ribbon in which ink supply portions of respective colors are repeatedly formed with the same arrangement;   a ribbon carrying means which moves the color ink ribbon on its lengthwise direction;   discrimination marks which are parallel to the lengthwise direction of said color ink ribbon, wherein the length of each of said marks is indicative of a respective color of said ink supply portions, and said marks are positioned on the same straight line and formed at one edge of said color ink ribbon; and   a discrimination mark read-out means which is located at the position opposite the discrimination marks and provided with two optical sensors arranged on a straight line in the direction along which said color ink ribbon moves.   
     
     
       2. The color discrimination apparatus for a color ink ribbon according to claim 1, wherein a discrimination mark of which length is longer than the measure of the interval of two optical sensors and a discrimination mark of which length is not less than the measure of the interval of the two optical sensors are employed. 
     
     
       3. The color discrimination apparatus for a color ink ribbon according to claim 1, wherein two optical sensors are fixed integrally to a read-out head. 
     
     
       4. The color discrimination apparatus for a color ink ribbon according to claim 1, wherein a stripe-shaped end mark is formed at the end portion of a color ink ribbon. 
     
     
       5. The color discrimination apparatus for a color ink ribbon according to claim 1, wherein the color discrimination is carried out by a state of a change in an output of the other optical sensor when a state of an output of one optical sensor changes. 
     
     
       6. The color discrimination apparatus for a color ink ribbon according to claim 1, wherein a color ink ribbon has sections arranged in the order of Yellow, Magenta, and Cyan. 
     
     
       7. The color discrimination apparatus for a color ink ribbon according to claim 2, wherein the color detection is begun after two optical sensors simultaneously have detected a discrimination mark of the length longer than the interval of the two optical sensors. 
     
     
       8. The color discrimination apparatus for a color ink ribbon according to claim 2, wherein an output of the other optical sensor is stored when an output of one optical sensor changes and next, an output of the other optical sensor is compared with the output value of the other optical sensor which has been already stored when an output of one optical sensor changes, thereby carrying out the color discrimination. 
     
     
       9. The color discrimination apparatus for a color ink ribbon according to claim 5, wherein a color is discriminated from a first color in the case where an output of the other optical sensor does not change when an output of one optical sensor has changed.